Running-gear for vehicles.



No. 781,174. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

' H. M. GLEN.

RUNNING GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION'IILED NOV. 11, 1901.

30 MODEL.

WITNESSES} v 1/11 If I.

(/1 TTORNEYS.

UNITED I STATES Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

RUNNING-G EAR 'F-OR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,174, dated June 16, 1903.

Application filed November 11, 1901. Serial No. 81,922. (No model.)

To atZZ whmn it floaty concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY M. GLEN, of Seneca Falls, in the county of Seneca, in the Stateof New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Running-Gear, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in running-gearfor vehicles, and refers more particularly to the frame and axles of automobiles, orrather t0 the connections between the swinging axles and the frame.

The object of this invention is to provide a suitable yielding buffer between the swing axle and the frame whereby the frame and 'axle are free to move vertically relatively to each other under a yielding resistance.

A further object is to provide suitable rockshafts mounted upon yokes at the opposite sides of the front end of the frame, each of said rock-shafts being provided with a laterally-extending bearing for receiving the forward wheels-0f the vehicle.

A further object is to provide suitable trusses for the front and rear ends of the frame adapted to receive the body of the vehicle and to form suitable braces for stiffening the frame longitudinally and laterally.

To this end the invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the parts of a running-gear for vehicles, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a top plan and an elevation of the front truss of the frame and the axles mounted thereon, the compressed-air bufiers being shown in operative position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a slightlymodified form of my invention in which a spring is employed in place of an air-cushion.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings I have shown a front truss 1 of a vehicle running-gear having its opposite ends provided with suitable yokes 2, within which are jou rnaled rock-shafts 3, having laterally-extending bearings 4:.

The truss 1 preferably consists of a substantially horizontal tubular bar 5 and upwardly-inclining tubular bars 6, arranged in pairs, the bars of each pair springing from the opposite ends of the bar 5. toward each other and diverging toward their meeting ends, which are secured together by suitable couplings 7. These couplings 7'v 7, as shown in Fig. 1, are connected by a transversely- -running bar, which in turn is connected to the body of the vehicle by the table shown in Fig. 2.

The yokes 2 are provided with sockets 8 for receiving the adjacent ends of the bars 5 and 6, which bars may be brazed or otherwise secured in said sockets, and in like manner the adjacent ends of the bars 6 may be brazed or otherwise secured in the couplings 7. These yokes 2 are substantially identical in form and are each provided with separated horizontal shoulders or arms 9, having threaded apertures 10 for receiving suitable adjustable hearings or bushings 11. These bearings are "provided on their inner faces with annular races to receive ball or roller bearings 12, and being screw-threaded it is evident that they may be adjusted vertically toward and away from each other in assembling or dissembling the parts of the running-gear.

The rock-shaft 3 is journaled on the bearings 12, its opposite ends being provided with suitable annular races or bearings to receive the balls 12 and serve to hold the rock-shaft in its operative position. The upper end of this rock-shaft is provided with a bearingplate 13, having a concave lower face adapted to receive the upper end of a suitable compressed-air buffer 14, the opposite end of which rests upon a similar plate 15, secured to or forming an integral part of the axle or wheel-bearing 4.

The rock-shaft 3 is preferably angular in cross-section, and the axle-section is provided with a socket 16 of similar angular form in cross-section, adapted to receive the shaft 3, whereby the axle-section is feathered upon the rock-shaft 3 and movable vertically thereon against the resistance of the compressedair bufier 14.

It is evident from the foregoing description that the frame and axle-sections are movable vertically relatively to each other and that with an arm 17, to which the steering apparatus may be connected in any desired mannor for rocking the axles 4 for the purpose of directing the movement of the vehicle. The air cushion or buffer 14 is preferably provided with a central tube having a lengthwise opening for receiving the rock-shaft 3 and the plates 13 and 15 and, being adapted to turn with therock-shaft, it"is evident that the only strain or wear upon the bufier is from compression. I usually provide the buffer 14 with a valve 20, to which may bea tached, when desired, an air-pump'or other air-pressure device for inflating the cushion 14 when necessary.

Interposed between the lower end of the axle-section and the bearings 12 is an additional bufier 21, which preferably encircles the'rock-shaft and serves to prevent any sudden jar or abrupt stop of the frame and axlesections should the frame move forcibly upward or the axle section downward.

The operation of my invention will now be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it is evident that some change may be made in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts just described without departing from the spirit of this invention-as, for instance, I may provide springbufiers 14 and 21' to substitute the air-cushion 14 and rubber bufier 21.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is I 1. The combination with the vehicle-truss, of yokes secured to the opposite ends of said truss, said yokes each comprising a vertical body portion provided at its ends with out- 'wardly-projecting horizontal arms, rotatable rock-shafts supported in the horizontal arms of the said yokes, pneumatic buffers mounted on said rock-shafts, said bufiers being provided with interiorly-arranged vertical tubes through which the rock-shafts extend, concaved bearing-plates arranged on the said "rock-shafts above and below the said buffers,

said lower bearing-plates having axles formed integral therewith, and means for adjusting and retaining the said rock-shafts in their adjusted positions.

2. The combination with the vehicle-truss,

of yokes secured to the opposite ends of the said truss, said yokes being formed in their end with screw-threaded apertures, threaded bushings arranged in the said apertures, a

pneumatic bufier arranged in each of the said yo'kes, said buffers each being formed with a hollow central cylindrical partition, rockshafts extending through the said cylindrical partitions of the buffers and having their 'ends engaging the said bushings, bearingplates encirclingthe said rock-shafts and engaging the upper and lower sides of the said 'buifers, and a laterally-extending bearing formed integral with the lower of the said plates, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of November, 1901.

HENRY M. GLEN.

Witnesses:

MILDRED M. New, HOWARD P. DENISQN. 

